Ask Bonnie

KEY LARGO, FL — You don’t have to snorkel or scuba dive to visit the famous coral reef three miles from the shores of John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.

The turquoise sea, the green mangroves, and the brilliant colors of tropical fish and other marine life can all be experiened via a glass-bottom boat called the “Spirit of Pennekamp” that departs from the park three times a day.

The reef is located in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary in the only contiguous coral barrier reef in North America.

Most of us have, at some point in our travels, been let down by the promise of a natural wonder that did not fulfill expectations — a whale-watching cruise where a black dot amid distant waves was the sole whale sighting, or a wildlife trail where you were lucky to see a squirrel.

But Key Largo’s coral reef does not disappoint. Although the reef is 20 feet below the surface of the water, the coral and fish appear magnified, as if they are right beneath the glass, which juts down into the water in a V shape.

You may see yellow-and-black striped Sargent Major fish, blue hamlets, angelfish, barracudas, and the occasional green moray or turtle swimming by.

Of course, serious scuba fans and reef-seekers who are world travelers may scoff; Key Largo’s reef is not exactly like the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. But part of the attraction of Key Largo’s reef is its accessibility. Snorkel and scuba trips to the reef are available from any of the local dive shops, but the glass-bottom boat was an affordable.

By BETH J. HARPAZ
Associated Press Writer